The 2nd Try
by kitty4
Summary: New love triangle! Something's happened that forces Ranma to revert to old tactics. Using the Nanban Mirror gives him a new chance but also new and hard competition for Akane: himself! Revised Version
1. How We Met In The Past

Hi out there! Quite some people pointed out the bad spelling of this fic so I decided to work through it once again and maybe get back into writing too. I do not know why I used Konbanwa as the name of the Magical Mirror instead of Nanban (in the first version); don't ask me why I mixed them up, I just did. I do not master the Japanese language but I know enough to actually know that Konbanwa is a way to greet. Anyway, thanks for pointing that out, it was a grave mistake after all, which is corrected by now.  
  
Reading through this story for the second time after some longer period makes me see that this fiction has some serious issues with the story flow, at least to my feeling. And I'm less refering to the pace (since this story was originally planned to be some longer thing) and more to the feeling of language. When I read through this (translating everything in my head automatically) I feel it's...bumpy at times. I'm not really content with it but then again, I hope it's still good enough to be enjoyed as a fanfiction, and I promise to try and do better.  
  
  
  
Though I checked this 1st chapter for spelling mistakes, please note that my mother tongue is not English and I'm not trying to win a grammar contest either, I just want to tell a story. And I hope you can enjoy it too. ^_^  
  
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Ranma 1/2  
  
The Second Try  
  
by kitty4  
  
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"You jerk, I just can't believe it!" Akane yelled furiously "All because of that dumb...silly..." she trembled visibly and her fists clenched and unclenched all the time in a desperate try to hold the words that were lying on her lips.   
  
"...that insane, insane..." the blue aura that Ranma worried about for quite a while now became suddenly visible for even the untrained eye. Weren't the two of them standing alone in the middle of nowhere certainly by now any bystander who would care about his personal welfare would have fled.   
  
"INSANE IN-SANE Kunou Ko-da-chi!!" she screamed and she shook her head wildly while it continued to become red. Ranma wondered if it would be wise to comment on it, it didn't look healthy what she was doing.   
  
"BAKAAA! RANMA NO BAKAAAAA!!!!!" she finished her little outburst, shooing away every bird within the trees that surrounded the area. And apart from sending Ranma's pigtail flying to the side thanks to the force of her screaming she wasn't allowed to harm him one bit. She just couldn't punch him this time. And to not pull her mallet demanded greater control over her anger than ever, something that she wasn't really good at to begin with. Thus this time, she had to push her physical release aside and pour all her anger into the volume she saw herself forced to use and scream her heart out in this forlorn forest in China.  
  
Yes, they were in China.  
  
And yes, Akane didn't like it at all.  
  
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It had only little to do with the fact that Akane didn't exactly enjoy the last trip she had had to this country. The incident with Saffron, her near death and afterwards that horrible wedding, all that was just about 4 or 5 months ago. 4 moths, 2 weeks and 3 days, but who's counting.  
  
Once having returned from China Akane thought that she would have never to go there again. And for Ranma to declare that he had fallen in love with her, well, in her opinion it sounded like a fair reward for that terrible experience. So she didn't regret anything the two of them had to go through and rather concentrated all her happiness on her eternal day of happiness. At least it's supposed to be every girl's eternal day of happiness. Her wedding.  
  
Okay, so she didn't get a proposal. So she didn't get the dating, the shy looks, the good night kisses -no kisses at all actually- and not even to start thinking about the other things that not so traditional couples were doing before a wedding. So she didn't get to show her girl friends the ring of her fiance, so she didn't get giddy chitter-chatter with Yuka and Sayuri about her soon-to-be future. So she didn't get anything of what she always thought she wanted her wedding to be like.  
  
But she had Ranma to wed her. And somehow that made up for it.  
  
Now the thing was, it didn't turn out like she somewhere deep down had hoped very much it would turn out. Ranma, despite her desperate believe in not only imagining his words, denied to feel anything for her. Well, they didn't hate each-other no matter what they claimed at times, that much was obvious, even to the so-called tomboy. Akane certainly didn't hate the pigtailed boy and he didn't really act as if he hated her either. But Love was a very big word.   
  
So maybe he could stomach her presence by now, could live with her, felt comfortable with her, perhaps cared a bit. Maybe a bit more that a bit. But Ranma did feel exactly that for his dear friend Uchan, as he had stated so often, and Akane knew that if that was true the okonomiyaki girl shouldn't trap Ranma in a marriage with that kind of feeling.  
  
So how was *she* having any right over him. She didn't know at all about *his* feelings, only about her's, finally and for sure, and that she wished to be his. But in the end it depended all on Ranma himself.  
  
For Akane however it drove her slowly but steadily nuts that now Ranma took his sweet time in dragging all of them along. Four girls were in love with him, and that meant at least three hearts to be broken. She didn't know how she would live through the day when she had to find out that eventually Ranma's friendly or even brotherly feelings for the Kuonji girl had secretly grown into more.  
  
That was certainly what Akane feared the most. Somehow, all of Ranma's fiancees were good friends with him (well, apart from Kodachi maybe) and it could happen any day that suddenly one of those friendships went further and developped into something more. Who knew after all?  
  
With Shampoo it was unlikely however. The thing that could drive Ranma into her arms was probably only lust, and Ranma just wasn't that kind of guy. Or at least Akane hoped so. Akane knew very well that her own body didn't offer any competition for Shampoos luxury dream of a bosom, thin waist and the occasional limb. However, apart from that, Shampoo was just too full of herself - as Amazon she may well be all into martial arts but somehow Akane couldn't really picture _her_ martial artist with a character like that of the chinese amazon; and ever since the failed wedding his and her relation was tense anyway.  
  
Ukyou on the other hand was soon forgiven for her actions on that day. She came to Ranma and appologized as the good friend she was and though Akane hated it she didn't doubt Ukyou's seriousness one second. Ranma and Ukyou had always seemed to get along perfectly. Akane envied that deep-seated friendship dearly but what was she to do about that but wait things out.  
  
That was what all four of them were doing this last quarter year. Waiting things out. And with Ranma's unwillingness to decide even now, it didn't look like things would eventually lead to anything. It was back to status quo.  
  
However, something happened. And status quo changed.  
  
It happened yesterday one week ago, specifically. It was a normal day actually, well as normal as days get in Nerima. Sun shining, some people out having fun at this warm day, some people malleting some after a good loud voice demonstration and some running after a very old twarf to retrieve their panties. Yes, one of those good old days.  
  
The cause however, for everything to change completely was Ranma's curse to activate and change him into a girl, which in itself is nothing of the outstanding. And you see, it happened to be within the presence -among others- of the two Kunou children, which again, is neither anything especially remarking. But, and here's the great 'but', despite Tatewaki's inablility to figure out Ranma's curse even when witnessing it, Kodachi had never seen it happen directly.  
  
And now she did.  
  
Kodachi was crazy, no doubt about that. But she did realize within a heartbeat that somehow her great love and the detested peasant girl with the fire-red pigtail were one and the same.  
  
At first she tried to say something, to say anything but her mouth worked without success, only her eyes widened.  
  
It was not that her hatred for the so-called pigtailed goddess her brother was so obsessed about was so great that it destroyed her love for the gorgeous Ranma-sama but...  
  
...her great love, he CHANGED SEX??  
  
What kind of perverted f*cked up freak could do that??   
  
All of the sudden Kodachi felt dirtied by Ranma, his presence alone disgusted her all through her body.  
  
Her shock was quickly overridden by pure disgust and hatred and she found her voice again. Many people were watching and listening as Kodachi screamed obscenities at Ranma instead of attacking him, too disgusted to even let her weappons touch this...creature.  
  
Ranma would have prefered to be attacked physically any day. He had never really felt guilty for having gotten himself cursed and deep down he had always prayed to never hear these exact words being screamed at him. And not only had he to listen to those verbal knifes she was throwing at him, no, she actually had to twist them too: not only he himself had to hear it, but so many other people did too. Close friends, distant friends, bypassers. Akane, Uchan, Soun, Miss Hinako, the Principal, everyone. Apart from his mother, *everybody* was here. Because this was how Ranma's life worked. At times, it really sucked.  
  
Akane stood there at his side, seeing how Ranma's eyes seem to clowd over and close up somehow. But before she could turn her gaze away from those eyes that practically screamed at her of his hurt, Kodachi stopped her tirade and left. As always, laughing like the maniac she was.  
  
And leaving Ranma in a shower of black rose peddals. And somehow he never looked as forlorn as he did that moment.  
  
A few days after that Kodachi had herself found a new eternal love and she declared daily her undying love for the poor fellow as if she had never in her whole life done anything different.  
  
For the people in the Nerima district the Kodachi-issue seemed to be solved with that.   
  
Ranma who -thanks to his hurt pride had been sulking for about a week- had also gotten a grip on himself and was back to his old self, so it seemed. Still, whenever his curse activated he clearly hated it more than ever.  
  
When the news about Kodachi's new obstacle reached him, it was the last straw.  
  
His pride and ego didn't demand of him to get Kodachi back to become his fiancee again (officially or not) like it had been back then when Shampoo had worn the ContraryJewel. He could care less about Kodachi, heck, he was even glad that he was finally rid of that girl for good. But something needed definitely to be done. Nobody humiliated Ranma Saotome like that and might not even be wrong with it.  
  
And as his whole life here sucked because of that d@mn curse, that was the exact issue that needed to be changed. Permanently.  
  
Unfortunately the Cursed Springs of Jusekyou were no longer existent, or rather mixed up into one weird looking lake. After the battle with Saffron the water had gone back down a little but the chance to get a hold of the precious water of one specific pool was erased; that much was clear when the Chinese Jusenkyou Guide called and warned them about it. Somebody had fallen into one of the springs (yet again) and, as the water had been connected and mixed with the other springs before, it was not definable anymore what that poor fellow changed into when hit with cold water. Looking at it like that it was probably a good thing that Ranma hadn't had the chance to use the so-called Nanychuan Water the Jusenkyou Guide had sent for the wedding.  
  
  
  
So that left only one option: if the Present and Future wouldn't do, then Past it would be. The young Saotome had failed once with the Nanban Mirror so far but it was the time to give it another try.  
  
He briefly considered while being at it, to also prevent himself from the NekoKen or be sure to never get a hold of that document his mother and father got him to sign before he left unknowingly for his 10 year training trip so long ago. However, it seemed uneasy enough to prevent a curse that always seemed to manage to _not_ get lifted, and it was dangerous enough to try and change past things as it was.  
  
So, everything decided, and determined to go _alone_ this time, Ranma went in search for the precious mirror.   
  
It was nearly unholy how easy it was for him to find it. Obviously for everyone who knew about it, the story about that mirror was done with, not even bothering to give it a second thought. It was just Go into Happosai's room, search a bit around, open a box, and take it out. Holding it in hands Ranma briefly wondered why he himself had -as well as all the others- given up so quickly on the idea with the mirror. Usually he wouldn't back down so easily just because of one failure.  
  
Shrugging Ranma left.  
  
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The young martial artist sat alone in his room on the floor, regarding idly the little item he held firmly in his hands, fixing the precious treasure with his eyes.  
  
Finally he could get rid of that cursed curse. Finally.  
  
All he would have to do was travel back in time and prevent younger self from falling into that fateful spring and getting there the curse in the very first place. Ranma had fought monsters and oni and heck, even a god, he should be able to prevent little Ranma (namely a younger and weaker light version of himself) from falling into a d@mn pool. How freaking hard can that be.  
  
"This is it" he encouraged himself, just mouthing the words while he broke an onion in two halfs with his free hand, the other holding the magical mirror that beheld his whole concentration.  
  
He absently brought the vegetable to his eye and made himself shed a tear with it.  
  
The good thing this time however was that Ranma for once had carefully planned things out.  
  
...Well, who are we kidding here, it's still Ranma we're talking about - but he _did_ spend _some_ thought on the mission this time.   
  
The key was approaching the affair like martial arts.  
  
What else is new.  
  
In any case. Ranma was a fighter, a martial artist with all his heart and he didn't make a mistake twice. His first try to change the past had failed because one, he took his father with him and two, he rushed into it, that much was clear for him now. This time he had a plan, and even a backup-plan. Plan B, so to say. Nothing though you could expect from Nabiki but that's okay seeing as Ranma still _is_ Genma's son.  
  
If, and only if, he should not be able to make his dad of the past change his mind about Jusenkyou, and even if he could not talk or beat his younger self out of it, then he still could look for his present self's cure when he was already at Jusenkyou. Though he was not sure if it really would work that way, the prospects looked good.  
  
Yep, carefully planned out. Check.  
  
Nobody would ever call him a sex-changing freak again and for god's sake have every f*cking right to do so.  
  
He would never again have to feel that embarrassing cold ripple go through his body.  
  
He would not ever again have to even start to worry about dealing with female feelings and reactions and _things_, utterly female things.  
  
All that would just _vanish_.  
  
He would never again have to feel *her* pittying gaze on him like that day.  
  
*Feh...Anyhow* he thought and left that train of thought that directly headed to the incident with Kodachi.  
  
"I wish to go back in time 15 minutes before I fell into the cursed spring" he said formally while his tear ran down over the smooth mirror's surface. Subconciously his ego scolded in frustration for how little help from the onion was needed to let that tear drop... should a manly man react so easily to onion?  
  
Right within that very few moments however Ranma noticed a sudden noise coming from the door.  
  
He looked into the direction just to find a pair of deep brown eyes looking right back to him, Akane already standing in the door.  
  
Ranma let the mirror fall onto the floor and hurried to get up and push Akane out of the doorframe, away from his room.  
  
"Out you idiot!!" he hissed "It's the Nanba-!"  
  
Golden light errupted from the surface of the mirror.  
  
"huh?" was Akane's intellectual answer. She knew the legend about that mirror. But seriously, travelling through time and space? Come on.  
  
Ranma had reached Akane with lightening speed and heartly pushed her out of the room before finally the golden light blinded him senseless.   
  
-----------------------  
  
Akane fell on the floor, landing on her behind rather ungraciously. "Ite" she stammered and send a mental *thank you very much, Ranma* afterwards. Rubbing at her back she opened her eyes to find herself out of the room and...  
  
in.a..forest?  
  
What the...?  
  
Then her mind caught up. The Nanban Mirror?  
  
"But that's not possible." she finally said out loud with a tiny voice, not setting anything into her words. She had the proof here right shoved into her face, saw it right with her own eyes. She had to accept it, no way around it:  
  
That mirror could make you travel through time and space.  
  
"I can't believe..."  
  
" - Believe it, Akane." Ranma said, somehow trying to sound casual. He didn't know himself why he tried to sound like that. "We had other things -stranger things- to deal with." he continued "The Nanban Mirror is just one more thing to add to the list." Ranma said slightly annoyed when adding the latter.   
  
He finally breathed out very emphatically, trying to scold her somehow in advance before he added:  
  
"And actually I didn't want you to get involved with this at all."  
  
Akane seemed not really to listen. Well, when did she listen to Ranma anyways.  
  
Her mind served her with very different thoughts than calmly listening. Everything rather went a bit heated in there...concentrating dangerously around anger and Ranma.  
  
Ranma. Of course! Who else! Who else on this great great world would have anything to do with this!!!  
  
She was in some lost Godd@mn forest, teleported for God's sake!  
  
While AKane being on that particular train of thought, Ranma with practised ease recognized easily the twiching brow, the frown and the the general postions her features took when she got angry: bad signs.  
  
"Akane, listen." He tried, bringing his hands up defensively and taking one step back though Akane was still sitting on the ground.  
  
"Ranma" she growled and got up, her left arm rising and her hand fisting, promising...things.  
  
"look, I didn't plan on a dork like you to come alo-"  
  
"Where ARE we?!" she screamed, ignoring whatever he had wanted to say.  
  
"Ahm" he started, startled for a second until he remembered what actually he was here for.  
  
"Aa, we...we are in the past. In ah.. China" he said, gulping audibly and preparing to take another step back "Jusekyou" he finished.  
  
Her eyebrows shot up. "WHAT?!" she hissed, sharp and high -even for a girl's voice.  
  
NUCLEAR MELTDOWN IN 3...2...1...  
  
Ranma's shoulder sagged down. He let out a loud breathe and finally wanted to share with her. Ranma always wanted to start talk things out, be honest with that little girl in front of him and share with her how things came to this. But unfortunately that turn of mind always happened at the exact moment he absolutely _knew_ there was no way talking anymore now because he was directly on the recieving end of a freshly delivered Akane-blow.  
  
Only... there came no blow.  
  
How's that?  
  
Well, when he once got the chance, why not act on it. Why should he not tell her what he was here for. Had he not promised himself to be more honest with her, to never let her be near any kind of danger again and d@mn well tell her that he loved her? Gods, that promise reminded him on Mount Phoenix and Jusendo. He would have promised her his world and more if only she would live through the ordeal. He had promised himself so much when she lay there in his arms, finally blinking her eyes at him...he had been so relieved there was nothing in the whole world he didn't want to give to her. But he had sat himself no time-limit then and ever since their return to Japan he had constantly chickened out over what he wanted to say to her.  
  
One thing however he knew now for sure: she certainly didn't want to be in China any time soon.  
  
Still, because of him here she was, near a baby Saffron, near who knows what kind of freaked out amazon tribes -and how many of them-, and well, near Jusenkyou.  
  
He would travel back through time with her and then return to the past alone. He firmly stated that to himself.  
  
And if she didn't want that he would have to make her, so she would be safe. But he guessed she deserved at least to know what he was about to do.  
  
So, finally breaking the tense silence that had settled between the two, he said "I'm here to prevent myself from falling into that -" he caught her gaze and chose to not use any swear words now "into the spring. Y,you know." he said, hoping for everything to be clear now.  
  
Akane suddenly stopped in her tracks of trembling in anger and got out of her slightly benched position to stare openly at her fiance.  
  
"But. Ranma?" she said, actually giving his words some thought for a change. "Why now?" she shook her head slightly to herself. After all they had been through she thought that together, more or less, they had overcome the problem of his curse. After all, apart from very recently, he hadn't seemed to bother his curse so much anymore and actually Akane had never known a Ranma without a curse.  
  
"Haven't you noticed by now that all that happened made you who you are now?" she continued, her anger momentary forgotten. "I mean, the curse helped you at times! It made you grow stronger and whatnot-"  
  
"Akane, it helped into some serious shi..problems. And nothing else." Ranma responded dryly. "I would not have Shampoo hunting out for me when I beat her as a girl, I would not have to run from my mom for so long, I would not have that freaking Kuno dreaming of me, I..I.." *I would not have started off with you so badly* he kept thinking but instead searched for other reasons "I..I would not have drunken that idiotic dragon hair soup" he finished getting desperate and tucking on his pigtail for emphasize.  
  
Akane, ever the one up to arguments -even more so when spiced with jealousy, shouted back: "Well, baka, you still would have Shampoo on your heels because then you simply would beat her as a guy, you moron! And I thought you finally had settled the thing with your mom! And Kuno...what do you want with Ku-" she trailed off, suddenly stairing ahead.  
  
  
  
Something seemed to have clicked in her mind and she looked back into Ranma's grey blue eyes.  
  
Nodding to herself and not shouting at all anymore she stated "This is about Kodachi, isn't it."  
  
Ranma's mouth worked like a fish, no sound coming out. Finally he shut it and turned his head pointedly to the side.  
  
"It isn't" he said, his lie as clear as the day.  
  
Quickly Akane's temper got the better of her and here we have her certain outburst.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
.  
  
But, the short-haired girl is as quickly arisen to anger as she is to calm down. Usually Ranma isn't around when the second part happens, but this time he was. Akane was not at all keen on being alone in China, so for once, (and she intended to keep it at a 'for once') she made herself *not* mallet Ranma out of sight. She had kept herself in control so far quite well.  
  
So instead of pulling her mallet out of wherever she kept it, she regarded him with sending daggers, and felt sorry immediately. She knew that at that time Kodachi's words were hard to take but coming from Kodachi Akane thought that Ranma would be over that pretty quickly.  
  
*Wrong thought* Akane scolded herself, feeling guilty already.  
  
"Your curse," she started after a minute, softly this time, "because of it, you learned the Katchu Tenshin AmaguriKen.   
  
And if you rather not have Shampoo follow you to Nerima, then you'll never learn the HirouShotenHa from Cologne either. Kuno is an idiot, why be bothered by him, ignore him. I know what I'm talking about. And what Kodachi said," she made a short break to take a deep breathe "Ranma it was nonsense. She just wanted to anger you."  
  
"She used no different words than I heard from you too. Maybe not _all_ of what she called me, but fact is, my sex does change, how f*cked up is that, and I _am_ a freak." he finally responded, voice hard by frustration.  
  
And Akane did once more a thing that she often does and she rather should not have done now: she jumped to conclusions.  
  
"Why the heck are you so bothered that Kodachi left you! You got along with your curse fine, and all of the sudden there's one fiancee less on your list and you-"  
  
"You ever thought about it that we would get a hell of a lot better along if it wasn't for that bloody curse! If it all started different with us to begin with?!" Ranma screamed back, outraged.  
  
"What do you think my future is like, to become a woman all the time! HEY, how about it, with you being the tomboy you are we could let our kids call you the 'dad' and me the occasional 'mom' Heck, why not let me be the mother in the first place!!"  
  
Ranma, too, displayed his hobby by doing things that he should by now have learned not to do: say things without thinking about them first.  
  
At the first moments of his speech, Akane seemed to actually reflect on what Ranma was saying but his last few sentences shooed away her pondering and rather made a cute blush grace her cheeks.  
  
_Their_ children??  
  
He also blushed the moment her realized this and looked down, the heated argument forgotten and suddenly his shoes seemed so very interesting.  
  
"I,...I didn't mean it like that. I just...it's just a what-if" he excused lamely. "you know what I meant."  
  
Akane however smiled to herself.  
  
"How about you just cure yourself now, and let past be past?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"Why do you insist so much on me carrying that curse around?" he answered her with a question, making a face at her.  
  
She looked at him, letting some of her emotion be read on her face.   
  
"What if, if you change things here and it turns out badly for the future? You could for example have to marry Shampoo as soon as you win the combat over her. We wouldn't even ever meet." She looked at him, searching for something in his eyes and not quite sure what to do if she actually found it...not that she knew if her chances were high or not.  
  
  
  
After a few moments passing Ranma breathed out, not even recalling holding his breathe until after that.  
  
"Okay." he said, nodding slightly. "maybe you're right..."  
  
Akane hadn't really payed attention to that Ranma turned away from her and she neiter noticed that Ranma did that just to avoid looking her in the eye as he answered her - a clear sign for him trying to lie. If she wouldn't ponder so much whether or not to say what she was about to say as next, she would have insisted on him giving her his word or something, or at least make him subline that he was serious.   
  
"Besides," she started her comment instead, all happy again and a slight blush returning to her cheeks "I like you pigtail." she said, refering to his earlier remark about the dragon beard affair.  
  
She smiled to herself and he smiled slightly in responds. 


	2. Let's Try That Again

Thanks for the reviews. I don't own Ranma 1/2, all belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, a woman I envie greatly for all the good ideas she always has.  
  
Special thanks to those reviewers who encouraged me enough to go back to this old fic and eventually continue with it. After having revised this very chapter I will work hard on finally getting chapter 3 out. Don't worry, the whole story is planned out completely, I just have to write it down. It shouldn't take too long, yet don't expect it too soon either. I'm no Rosefire and heck if I know how she does her updates so fast...  
  
~ kit  
  
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The Second Try   
  
chapter 2  
  
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"Well then, Akane." he started after a few minutes of thoughtful but comfortable silence. "Lets get you home."  
  
"Huh??" adressed girl said, oh so wisely for a second time.  
  
"Well, I very very sure as he...very surely will not take you with me to the springs." he said in what he hoped was a tone that said 'no discussion', while he picked up the mirror that lay on the ground.  
  
"What? But I could be of some help!" Akane said, secretly hurt that he didn't want her with him when he finally got his cure and share that obviously oh-so-great happiness with her.  
  
"Because you could get cursed. Do you want to get cursed? I mean, you nearly drowned there the last time you were there, do you really want to risk anything again?" he reminded her, wincing at his own thoughts and where they led him "I have nothing to lose here." *But you* he wouldn't dare to add though it was clearly on his mind. "At worst I just change my curse, or ...I could get my cure."   
  
*Or best, I prevent myself from falling into that damn pool in the first place.* he, wisely, let not slip.  
  
"But I want to help" Akane insisted, whining a bit and distracted by the strange look that her fiance wore.  
  
Ranma sighed inwardly. *She's like a little girl.*  
  
Before he would smile at that thought he gave her another sigh, this one audible for her to hear, then said: "No"  
  
Again the 'No-discussion' tone.  
  
Again no result.  
  
Akane started to get into her 'get-angry-routine' when suddenly Ranma's voice sounded loudly from a very totally different direction than where he stood.  
  
"Wait up, Pop!!" it shouted clearly, and not really that respectful.  
  
The questions marks that appeared above Ranma and Akane's head popped away as they both remembered that they were in the past, and namely right before Ranma once happened to fall into the spring.  
  
"Oh no" Akane turned her head in the direction the shout came from, knowing that at any second the younger version of her fiance would appear and soon get himself cursed.  
  
Ranma on the other hand was having different thoughts, like "Already here?" or "How am I supposed to change the past without Akane knowing?!"  
  
But with Ranma never being the fastest at thinking he felt his own aura, just a very weaker one, nearing quickly. It was, to say the least, a very odd feeling.  
  
Giving into temptation to briefly just concentrate on that wholy alien feeling, everything seemed to be slow-motion for a few seconds.  
  
Two birds chirped their way along the sky, the wind ruffled softly through the trees. Ranma didn't remember that the weather was so beautiful when he got his curse. He remembered rather that the weather was grey, cold and rainy - all adding to the bad mood he did have since he got cursed...  
  
"You've been lazy again, boy! I've seen you running a lot faster! Hurry up, if you arrive as second I'll get your dinner tonight!" - Genma's voice, not far away anymore.  
  
Before Ranma could think to react in any different way, he grapped Akane at the shoulders and practically threw the both of them out of the way. And not a second too late. At exactly the place they were standing just seconds ago Genma appeared, having jumped down and immediately jumping further ahead in the direction of the springs, Ranma remembered all too clearly. He also remembered why he had been behind Genma at that time - his dad had made him wear heavy weights in his pockets, a few securly tied to his wrists and ankles as well. And running with them, uphills, for well over 4 hours...still, the young Saotome was keeping up, running right behind his father.  
  
"Stay!" the Ranma from the present said to Akane who seemed about to protest but that protest died on her lips at the glimpse of white she caught running further down out of the trees.  
  
If she would have said something, apart from holding present Ranma back here behind some bushes, she would have stated that with her fiance throwing her and himself out of the way, he threw them also into a little hardly dried out creek and that Ranma was currently Ranko.  
  
[AN: yRanma = younger Ranma from the past  
  
Ranma/Ranko = Ranma from the present ]  
  
However, Akane kept silent. The reason, as said, she had caught sight of the younger boy that once Ranma was and somehow she was so surprised that she couldn't move. First of all, he was younger! Of course he was younger, but Akane was used to a nearly 18 year old Ranma and not a, what was he, 15 year old? And well, he wore a gi. He never wore a gi -maybe once or twice, okay, she remembered. But he never somehow looked like this in it. He had his hair in a pony tail not wearing his usual braid, as far as Akane could see. What startled her the most was his face, he was smiling or grinning or whatever he did at his dad, and he looked so ...carefree. Nothing mattered to him. He was just a normal boy who did what he liked the most - he trained the Arts. No worries. No nothing at all.  
  
Suddenly Akane understood why Ranma had wanted this cure so badly...  
  
It was not that the female body bothered him so much, he got quite used to it by now, she was sure. He may be hurt from Kodachi but it was just that he wanted to go back to this, going back to having no troubles and worries in the world. He looks so happy, she thought.  
  
"Stop!" a female voice cried out demandingly, "Ranko"'s no doubt.  
  
Though that brought Akane out of her inability to move, she stayed lost in yRanma and her previous thoughts about him. So she prefered to stay hidden to look at him a bit more, thus not really getting what Ranko actually was doing there.  
  
"Don't get in our way girl!" Genma yelled harshly as he looked back over his shoulder.  
  
yRanma however did stop in front of her.  
  
Suddenly Ranma felt very strange, as if he knew this would lead to trouble. That he was _not_ supposed to meet himself. His own aura from yRanma pushed at him in a way it never did when Ranma's clones from that strange mirror castle were around. It felt nearly...aggressive.  
  
"What is it? You're hurt or what?" he heard his own voice ask of him between pants, a voice which was just a slight tone more boyish than his own, if he had been male at the moment that is.  
  
"Ah, no." Ranma answered, stunned somehow.  
  
"Kay then" yRanma said, about to pass the red-head.  
  
"No, wait!" Ranma finally brought out, turning around and missing yRanma's arm just about a few inches. Desperate he jumped after yRanma and with an outstreched foot and a midair turn, he kicked yRanma's feet out under him.  
  
Before however yRanma could fall he streched his hands out, made a kind of cart-wheel and while coming up again he turned around to face his opponent. All in all it rather looked like a move out of the Chinese Circus. Then again, knowing Genma...this move could be out of the Chinese Circus over one way or another.  
  
Ranma's body reacted instantly to the stance of yRanma and fell into a fighting position, arms ready for either attack of defense.   
  
"forget it" yRanma said, somewhat arrogantly "I don't fight girls."  
  
"as if you could beat me" Ranma instantly answered, once again, automatically.  
  
"hey little girl, leave me and my student alone to trai-" Genma who had approached couldn't finish as the 'little girl' gripped his arm and sent him flying to the ground. yRanma tried to attack in order to defend his dad but soon found himself dealing with a lot of punches directed at him.  
  
"Ranma! Stop it, what are you...?" Akane cried finally, trying to make her way out through the bushes.  
  
*Another girl?* young Ranma thought, briefly distracted.  
  
Ranma knew he had to act fast, whatever he was to do.  
  
"KATCHU TENSHIN AMAGURIKEN" he cried out and sooner than Ranma thought good (his own pride here nagging at him again) yRanma passed out.  
  
"Ranma!!" Akane shouted, tugging small leaves out of her hair. "Look what you did! Why are those two both unconcious! Care to explain that?? You said you weren't going to change the past!" she set her hands on her hips demanding an answer.  
  
"I... look, ..." words failed Ranma, he was never one to be eloquent and while slightly leaning away from Akane he raised one of his hands in the typical Takahashi way.  
  
Since the martial artist didn't elaborate though Akane chose to show him what she thought of this situation by bonking him on the head, muttering an 'idiot' while being at it.  
  
"I want to talk with them first" he finally continued, encouraged enough by the young girl's fists. "Maybe I could -"  
  
Akane's immediate reaction was to interrupt him, and she was about to do so when Ranma quickly put a finger on her lips.  
  
The action shut her up all right.  
  
Though her warm exhale against his finger made it a 'tough bit' harder for him to actually remember what he wanted to say, he finally made himself get the words out.  
  
"I only want to make things better, Akane." he said seriously "Between us and for me. Please, let me. For once."  
  
Akane unsecurely stepped back, his touch leaving her lips. Strangely she didn't argue, not even try to negotiate.  
  
Instead she looked sorrowful into his eyes. "I don't like it and I have a bad feeling about it."  
  
She paused briefly, waiting if he would say something. When he didn't she finally looked down and, will surprises never end, gave up.  
  
"But if you need to do this, hate this body so much...I hope it'll turn out for the best." She faked a smile at him, trying to not show of her fear to lose him in the future. "And I support you if you let me." she added, knowing that she didn't want to be left out of this.  
  
Ranma threw a glance back at the Nanban Mirror that once again, had carelessly dropped to the ground and was now lying there in the grass. He went towards it, picked it up and _knew_ right there that he couldn't make Akane leave here now, no matter what he would try.  
  
Well, then he would make sure that nothing happened to her, he swore that.  
  
It scared him how often he desperately had repeated this very promise now to himself.   
  
"Well, how about we set a camp out right over there then" Ranma said to the raven haired girl in front of him. "I know that those two morons over there have the stuff we need with them, let's get everything ready and set and I can talk to them when they wake up." he continued, pointing his thumb back over his shoulder at the two unconcious Saotome males when mentioning them.  
  
Akane nodded, and went straight to take Genma's backpack. Not commenting once.  
  
------  
  
The two girls set the tents up and Akane started to make a fireplace while 'Ranko' returned to the two still unconcious forms still lying on the path from earlier.  
  
Ranma poked his younger version a few times until success finally showed and yRanma groaned. After fixing his eyes on the red-head he sat up abruptly. He looked around him and found his old man next to his side, out of it as well, and their backpacks missing.  
  
"You are thieves or somethin?"  
  
Ranma just snorted and was about to answer when yRanma cut her to it.  
  
"Do you understand me? Talk Japanese? Nihao?"  
  
Ranma's eyes narrowed at his younger self's stupidity. "Hey you dolt, I've spoken to you already before!"  
  
"Well, then gimme back my backpack" yRanma answered.  
  
"I haven't stolen it. We made camp a few feet over there because we need to talk."  
  
"Why should we talk with ya?" yRanma snorted in a similar way that Ranma had done earlier.  
  
"Because" Ranma responded harshly, the patience toward this other himself wearing thin.  
  
*How could Akane ever deal with me like that?* Ranma thought but as soon as this thought was out Ranma wanted to beat himself for thinking it.  
  
"Ya were pretty fast with yer punches before" yRanma commented.  
  
"Well, I did beat you, didn't I" Ranma answered snotty.  
  
"Care to tell me about that move?"  
  
"I won't tell you a word before we haven't finished with an entirely different topic" Ranma said sternly, closing her arms over her well defined chest.  
  
yRanma showed no reaction to said impressive chest. "Come on, I'll leave you alone then, you can even keep one of the backpacks. Tell me, how'd you do it??"  
  
Ranma kept silent, seriously annoyed with his younger self. Gods, was he really that much of an idiot when he was 15? Couldn't you actually have a straight normal conversation with him? Unbelieveable that now he was just about 2 1/2 years older - he must have changed a lot!  
  
The red-head kneed down to throw Genma over her shoulder and carry him to the camp, knowing that a few pokes wouldn't wake his old man.  
  
"Come on, shorty!" yRanma threw in  
  
His older version just ignored him.  
  
Finally Genma on his back, Ranma stood up and trotted towards the camp. No need to say something like "come" or "Follow me" to yRanma because he was already bouncing up and down and everywhere and around the pigtailed girl, making faces at her, demanding to be told about that Katchu and so on move from earlier.  
  
---  
  
"NOO!!!" Ranko's voice screamed, sounding more that a bit annoyed by the second "Leave me alone already! I won't tell you that move!" the girl screamed at yRanma.  
  
"But I need to know! Come on! I'll be a good student!" yRanma pleaded at her.  
  
"No!! Shut up already! Gosh, you're one annoying brat!"  
  
"So?! And you're the uncutest twarf of a girl I've ever seen!! Why won't you teach me?! Just tell already!"  
  
Ranma caughed twice before regaining composure "Uncute twarf??! Are you nuts??! How dare you insult me like that!!" the red head shouted getting angrier and angrier.  
  
"Because when it's truth it doesn't count as insult, you *are* a kawaiikune halfling!!"  
  
"grrrr...HALF-LING?"  
  
"You wanna fight?!" yRanma challenged and got into a fighting position.  
  
"I don't fight weaklings like you!!" Ran-chan screamed back, frustrated that his voice sounded so high-pitched - however with that he forgot completely the fact that he insulted himself...indirectly of course.  
  
"A big mouth ya got but I wouldn't fight girls anyway, they're just not up to real men"  
  
Ranma had really to control himself there - he couldn't beat his younger self to a pulp for the _second_ time, they needed to talk first...but then...after that he would get his stupid fight!! "Then don't challenge me, baka!! Besides I already defeated you! Moron!"  
  
"Tomboy!"  
  
"Arrgh.." Ranma's finger curled in anger *how dare he use my own insults against me?!*  
  
"You two stop shouting already!!" Genma screamed who had the greatest head-ache at the moment. He was still carried over the girl's shoulder and Ranma had the strangest feeling that if Genma had already been cursed and if he had happened to be a panda at the moment he certainly would have smacked both of his sons with one of his wonderously appearing wooden signs.  
  
"Ahh, shut up old man!" Ranko commented.  
  
yRanma decided to emphasize and hit Genma over the head making him unconcious again.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
The camp was all set up, two small tents neatly positioned around a clumsily built up and yet unlit fire place.  
  
"Wasn't there a second girl?" yRanma wondered without further introduction.  
  
"Yeah, she went for some fire wood. She promised to stay in ear-shot though."  
  
"What, you and your sister out for a bravery test? Camping out all alone without your daddies?"  
  
Ranko bit down, hard, trying to _not_ beat yRanma. No wonder Akane did it so often, it was a tempting thing to do! Focusing and calming, Ranko threw the unconcious Genma uncerimoniously over her shoulder to the ground and sat down herself next to him. YRanma took place a little off Ranko's side.  
  
"Now what?" yRanma continued impatiently.  
  
That annoying brat surely wouldn't take him seriously if Ranma just started out of the blue to threaten him to not go to Jusenkyo. He needed some background to built around the storyline. Living with Nabiki payed off, finally.  
  
Typically that even in Ranma's thoughts Nabiki's name was uncuttably connected with 'pay'... Oh well.  
  
"Hey tomboy," -oh, how Ranma hated that insult already! "how izit with ya move now?"  
  
"Listen, you jerk." Again Ranma caught himself using insults that were strangely familiar...  
  
"I've got this brother and he went training here too, at the Cursed Springs of Jusenkyo and he went there with our father you know..." while thinking up this gracious background story Ranma congrulated himself for his creative ideas "who didn't have any clue about anything"  
  
"like father like daughter" yRanma threw in.  
  
"Listen You JERK!" Ranma's temper snapped and he grapped yRanma at the collar of his gi. The second when a mallet crossed Ranma's thoughts a giant sweat drop ran down his forehead and he let loose.  
  
"Listen, no beating around the bush"  
  
"What is this?" Genma groaned all of the sudden, getting up in a sitting position as if he was drunk. Finally he narrowed his eyes at the strange girl besides him.  
  
"And who are you?"  
  
"I am the one to beat some SENSE into you!" Ranko screamed at Genma frustrated. So far the mission was not really anything you might call success.  
  
"Listen, for the last time! Both of you" - strangely enough they did.  
  
Ranma felt suddenly uncomfortable by the stare of his younger self.  
  
Not showing any insecurity Ranma went on. "I know that the two of you want to train at Jusenkyo, but you can't, I forbit it. Because it will ruin your whole future. You will NOT go there, you won't even get ONE step nearer to it than you already have"  
  
"And who are you to tell me and my son anything?" Genma demanded in the tone he usually reserved for scolding his son, Ranma knew all to clearly. He really missed the adressing "boy" at the end.  
  
"I" Ranma shot a brief look at yRanma and quickly changed his mind.  
  
"I'm Ranko."  
  
"Let's go, Pop" yRanma said, getting up.  
  
"Get Down!" Ranma pulled the youngest Saotome down again, sharply, and content about that. "I know more than you do, trust me on this. Jusenkyo will nearly ruin your both lives. Really, I just want to prevent that."  
  
yRanma focused his eyes on the red-head who again recognised that fixing gaze as the one yRanma would later dedicate to Ryoga.  
  
"As if you could know what would happen to us" he accused  
  
Ranma shot a glare back, challenged. "You baka will fall in, that's what! Both of you will fall in and you'll get a Jusenkyo curse that will make especially _your_ life a misery!" and the red-head pointed at the youngest Saotome.  
  
"How can you know that, we haven't even ever met!" Genma added, sure of victory. As so often.  
  
"Your name is Genma Saotome" Ranma told him, sure of _his_ victory. As so often.  
  
"Since he's 6 you're here on a 10 year training trip with your son, Ranma, 15 years old. And you managed a FEW very idiotic things, might I pick out a certain contract with your wife Nodoka and a certain hell of a cat pit interfering with that? Might I also add a certain Okonomiyaki Cart and Training Hall Inheritance?! Or how about wanting to train in that CURSED Jusenkyo when you speak no word CHINESE ??!!"  
  
Genma seemed to panick slightly whereas a shocked Ranma stopped listening at the point of the C-Word.  
  
Genma finally looked at his son, yRanma looked back at his dad, shaken, and a smug grin graced Ranko's features. One that yRanma should find very cool, deep down, and who subcounciously noted for future use that smug grins made one look superior.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Ranko and Genma had changed places so that yRanma and Genma sat besides each other now, thinking about what to do. Both seemed impressed that the red-haired girl knew so much about them, the situation obviously was about something serious. The fact that Ranma was still present didn't prevent the two Saotome's from the past to talk openly about the red-head.  
  
"I don't trust her at all, Pops. It's not as if she would know the future...though with her small person and red hair and all, maybe she's a witch?" yRanma tried to tease.  
  
Ranko put up all her self-control -yet again- for not punching him into the face now. Convincing the two that they shouldn't train at Jusenkyou was more important! Just repeat that! And it might just work now too!   
  
"How would you know that something bad is going to happen?" Genma asked. "Knowing the future is impossible."  
  
"Ah heck - I just know it, okay!" Those two were infuriating. Simply convincing them by talking didn't seem to help any. So, change in tactics. "How about this: Ranma, you study among your father, right?"  
  
the 15 year old nodded.  
  
"Okay, then how about this: when I beat your dad thrice in the line at Martial Arts then you promise me on your honour that you won't go training there."  
  
"Hah!" Genma gave a laugh "you wouldn't be able to lay a finger on me and you want to beat me thrice in the line??"  
  
Ran-chan gave just a self-confident smirk in responds.  
  
"What do we get if you don't succed then?" Genma asked.  
  
"Feh, that won't happen. But if so, you can have whatever you want"  
  
"How about you have to teach me your best move then" yRanma demanded, seeing his chance.  
  
Ran-chan gave her younger self a knowing half-grin. Strange as it was Ranma felt as if he would be proud of his own future son for behaving like yRanma did just now...strange thoughts indeed...  
  
"Fine with me"  
  
"Fine with you? Haha" Genma said sarcastically, full of self-confidence.  
  
"I beat you already today, old man." Ranma contered.  
  
"Old man?? We'll see about that, you'll choke on your words" Genma bluntly ignored the statement of defeat earier that day.  
  
"There's someone coming..." yRanma suddenly interrupted the talk.  
  
True, Genma and Ranma could sense the presence of a fourth person, a girl and she was headed straight for their place.  
  
Of course a girl!, Ranma thought, It was Akane, he knew immediately. Still he wondered why his younger self had noticed her presence earlier than he had but he didn't have to search long for his answer: he was so used to her, wherever he was Akane was near him. When he would make a training trip he would miss her intensly, lately so bad that he didn't leave without at least a photo of her, and even then he still wished she were by his side. And whenever the two where hanging around somewhere together he was used to her presence, with the pleseant knowledge that she was by his side. The lack of her aura around him made him less at ease than when she was with him, or like in this case, when she neared him.  
  
However. Genma and yRanma still waited for a reaction of him. "It's my fia..rend. My friend, Akane. She's with me on this training trip, I mentioned."  
  
"Ha!" yRanma laughed at Ran-chan, "I see, the one from earlier, hiding wasn't she. Two girlies on a 'training trip'. What do you train? How to stay a night out without breaking your nails?"  
  
There was that again. He told them already that she was collecting firewood, too!  
  
"Quit it, you..." Ran-chan growled, balling her fist.   
  
yRanma of course went on. "Hope you didn't forget your lip-sticks and powder"  
  
Ranma put all his control together and concentrated on not beating his younger self into a pulp. AGAIN.   
  
" - You. Are. Annoying. - " Patience, patience! You lasted so long, focuse!  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I should have noticed sooner. Of course ya have no make-up with ya, with the ugly type it's no use anyway"  
  
That did it finally. Ran-chan jumped to her feet, hissing: "Fine you jerk! You wan a fight, you get it!"  
  
yRanma grinned full of self-confidence and got into a ready stance, but still commented with an arrogant "I don't fight weak gir-"  
  
Akane chose this time to enter their camping place, by that stumbling out of the bushes in a quite clumsy way and losing half of the loggs she'd been carrying.  
  
YRanma stared at the newcomer unable to tear his eyes away from her, and Akane... Akane just stared back at him.  
  
*What...what is happenening? I...I..this girl...* yRanma's mind tried to form a thought but without much success. All he could do was stare at her, the way she stood there with the two remaining loggs clenched to her chest as if she was shocked, the way her eyes held his stare, the way the soft breeze tucked at several hair strains, the way the glow of the fire reflected on her creamy skin...  
  
*Kawaii*  
  
Akane couldn't help but stare back at the younger version of the Ranma she knew. He looked slightly different; clearly younger, a bit rougher maybe, like earlier still unusually clad in a white gi and his hair not in the braid Akane was used to but simply tied together with a piece of thin white cloth. However, this bit of a difference wasn't what made Akane stare at him, after all things like his features and moreover, his wonderful blue-grey eyes remained the same. But it was the way he looked at her, so openly - in a way that _her_ Ranma would never look at her - without any defense or resistance he let her have a look directly at his very soul.  
  
*What a gorgeous body* she suddenly thought.  
  
The second that thought came up she wondered where it came from, but she couldn't help it. The thought entered her mind as if she had no control over it. Her eyes travelled a little south, again she didn't intend to do that in the first place - she just did it ...until she suddenly realized what exactly she was staring at, and full of self-conciousness again she turned her head towards the ground, blushing furiously one might add.  
  
*What was that?? What was I thinking staring at him like that??*  
  
yRanma found himself catching up with his mind when Akane dropped her glance to earth. Completely forgotten about the fight he was about to start with Ran-chan he let himself plop on the ground, staring at some imaginary point in front of him, blushing just as much as Akane, and still in a hot chase with his thoughts.  
  
"Ah..., Akane? You okay?" Ranma finally cut the silence noticing her strange mood and not liking her blush at all.  
  
Akane finally snapped out of it "Ahm, yeah, sure. I'm fine." She picked up the loggs that she had dropped earlier and finally settled down next to the camp fire with them. She still wore a slight blush but if you didn't look close enough you didn't notice it with the dimming light of the dusk.  
  
Still, Ranma noticed it very much.  
  
*Her cheeks are still rosened? What is it with her? She sees him and stares like that? What is it with that jerk nearly raping her with his eyes, that hentai, lousy - WAIT, that's ME!...What was she thinking when she looked at him all the time; heck what am I thinkin anyway? She stared at ME, for god's sake! Indirectly at me for that matter but still! She blushed because of ME! I should be laughin at her for I've got proof now that I _can_ have some effect on her... still I'm feeling strange and... not good at all. ...It can't be...I'm jealous over, ...over myself?!*  
  
They sat for a few more moments in uncomfortable silence, until Genma was tactless as usual.  
  
"What's with you guys; boy, joke with these girls later. Now we make something to eat."  
  
Both Ranmas knew that Genma's 'we' was a synonym for the name 'Ranma'.  
  
So both, yRanma and Ran-chan moved to make something similar to soup. One of them because he was used to making dinner (or lunch or breakfast for that matter) for him and his dad, and the other because he wanted to prevent Akane from cooking.  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
The fire crackled soundly, the cool summer night a pleasant change of the hot day in China.   
  
It was settled that the training of Genma and yRanma should depend on the battle the next day, the match between Genma and -unknowingly to the latter- his own 17 year old.  
  
Akane talked quite a bit with Genma, inventing stories, much better ones than Ranma, about their 'training trip' so far. Ranma on the other hand said few things if any at all, he seemed to be sulking about something, the tension between him and Akane was more that annoying to him to top that.   
  
Maybe it was so annoying because there was hardly any tension between Akane and yRanma. She glanced every now and then at the younger version of himself and then quickly averted her eyes again, only to guiltily look at Ranma himself, blush again, and look away again. Didn't she think he would notice how often she looked at him, that is the _other_ him?  
  
What was he supposed to think of that anyway??   
  
After a good dinner everyone agreed to sleep so they could stand up early tomorrow. Both Ranmas were used to this and also Akane was a morning person, so no problems there, for a change.  
  
While yRanma and Genma shared Genma's tent for the night, the girls -that is Ran-chan and Akane- shared the other one.  
  
It was narrow enough as it was and Ranma was certain to sleep outside, so Akane could have the tent for herself. she already made some sleeping arrangements inside.  
  
But first there was this question to be resolved that nagged at him ever since Akane met his younger self.  
  
"What was that earlier?" Ranma finally said after steading himself quite a while. It was the first thing that both of them said since he entered the tent.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean your minute of adoration when you came falling out of the bushes for example"  
  
"Arrgh no! Don't you tell me you're jealous over yourself, Ranma !?"  
  
"Who said I'd be ever jealous, and because of somebody like you on top!"  
  
"Ranma no ba-" Akane began to glow, concentrating her anger in her center and preparing for the blow she was about to deliver as usual.  
  
However this time Ranma did not care. "Why did you stare so??" it contained so much jealousy that not even Ranma could have denied it.  
  
The tone even made a violent tomboy stop in her tracks. Still, she didn't know what to answer him.  
  
Apart from: "What do you care anyway"  
  
...silence...  
  
"I'm just curious" Ranma said in a low tone, without looking at her and instead pretending to prepare the sleeping bags Genma and yRanma had given them.  
  
Akane still didn't know how she should answer. She wasn't even sure she herself knew what had happened there, she just had this feeling - but how should she tell Ranma about a feeling? Him, of all people!  
  
"Please?" he added, even more silent than before.  
  
*What?? Ranma actually asks me to? Is this so important to him??* the young Tendo wondered surprised but moved by his pleading.  
  
"Ahm," she finally answered "I'm not sure myself. ...Ahm, it was...as if..aah..as if I saw you for the first time, you know. I mean it sounds strange but I couldn't help it."  
  
Ranma just raised his eye-brow to show he had no clue what she wanted to say.  
  
She sighned heavily. "How should I explain this..."  
  
She had to think about this first.  
  
*It felt like..the way you looked at me...It felt..good* she thought *very good. I mean my real first meeting with you was horrible, I thought you were a girl and when you stood there in the bath tu-... it was...! It was like that time, it was the same when I met with you, just a different location! Gosh, the look, the stare, how you stood there... even how I must have held the bricks - that time I had a towel with me - ...oh my god! It really was a repetition of Ranma and me meeting!*  
  
"What is it, Akane?" Ranma's question brought her out of her train of thought.  
  
"Ahm...I..I'm sorry, Ranma, I think I don't know how to explain it to you, I'm afraid." she excused, not wanting to talk more about it now.  
  
He just let his eyes travel somewhere on the ground and nodded slightly. He seemed to be disappointed somehow, though Akane could not be sure that she didn't just imagine it.  
  
Finally he looked up and directly into her eyes. "Do you think this is how it would have been?... If we had met under different circumstances?"  
  
Akane was first a bit startled that Ranma would ask so bluntly such a question. Anyway, carefully she thought about her responds, taking quite some time for it. However, eventually she answered:   
  
"don't know...when I met you the very first time I didn't like boys at all and.. and had f..feelings for ahm..Dr.Tofu; aah yes, and now...I mean I know you already and I already...now I already..., I doubt that like today..like this." She let out a breathe "I doubt this is how we would have met, Ranma. It's different now. If you were a stranger to me I would greet you probably different than it was today."  
  
*I wish we would have met more like today, Akane* Ranma allowed himself to think before turning off the gasoline lamp, needing for once to sleep next to Akane, he didn't really understand why.  
  
But she didn't oblidge either.  
  
- tbc  
  
please review. 


End file.
